Tottenham Hotspur are making surprising strides in the transfer market this month in a bid to improve Thomas Frank's squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Lilywhites officially completed the signing of Ghana international Mohammed Kudus from Premier League and London rivals West Ham United on Thursday night.
Kudus will be hoping to improve on his haul of five goals and three assists in 32 appearances in the top-flight for the Hammers last season, as he aims to provide a threat at the top end of the pitch for Frank.
The 24-year-old star could be joined by another attacking midfielder before long. Morgan Gibbs-White is expected to complete a move to Spurs, despite Nottingham Forest's attempts to challenge the legality of their approach.
Whilst Spurs will be looking at players who can step in to immediately improve the team, Daniel Levy could also pursue players with a view to them being future replacements, as well as providing depth in the short-term.
Signing a player to replace Cristian Romero, for example, could be a shrewd move by the Europa League winners, given the speculation over his future and his availability record.
Why Spurs need a replacement for Cristian Romero
In terms of his future at Spurs, Fabrizio Romano claims that it has all gone quiet between Atletico Madrid and the club over a potential deal for the Argentina international.
The Italian reporter adds that the central defender is now expected to remain at Tottenham beyond the end of the summer transfer window, in what appears to be a boost for Frank.
However, the 27-year-old star's contract at the club is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and it remains to be seen where his long-term future will be, which is why sourcing a longer-term replacement for him would make a lot of sense.
Even if Romero, as reported by Romano, remains at Spurs this summer, signing a player who can step in to replace him in the starting XI when needed would be incredibly useful for Frank.
As you can see in the table above, the World Cup winner has not been a reliable option for Tottenham in his four seasons at the club, missing 73 matches through either suspension or injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.
These statistics suggest that Spurs are in need of another high-quality centre-back option to play when Romero, who scored one goal in 18 Premier League games last season, is unavailable.
This may be why Tottenham are now being linked with an interest in a new central defensive option to come in and add to their options in that area of the pitch.
Spurs eyeing move for Premier League defender
According to The Boy Hotspur, Spurs are interested in a swoop to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi to come in and compete for a spot in the team.
The report claims that the club have made 'fresh contact' with the England international's camp to discuss a potential transfer to North London this summer.
It states that the Eagles are prepared to negotiate a fee within the region of £39m for their captain because his current contract at Selhurst Park is set to expire at the end of next season, which means that they would risk losing him for nothing next year if they do not cash in on him before the end of this window.
The outlet adds that Chelsea, Arsenal, and Bournemouth are also keeping tabs on his situation, but the Gunners are not able to offer him enough guarantees of regular football because they already have William Saliba and Gabriel.
It is now down to Spurs to strike an agreement with Palace to bring the English titan to the club this summer, because he could be a dream replacement for Romero.
Why Guehi would be a dream Romero replacement
Guehi would be a dream signing for Tottenham to come in as a centre-back who can replace Romero when he is unavailable next season, whilst also having the potential to be a long-term replacement if the Argentine ace moves on in the future.
At the age of 24, he is still a young defender and could be a star at the back for Spurs for many years to come, which is one of the reasons why he would be a brilliant signing.
Another reason why Guehi would be a fantastic addition for the club is that he has a great fitness record. Since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, the English gem has only missed 13 games through injury, compared to Romero's 67 matches missed through injury since that season.
This suggests that the Palace star, who was dubbed a "monster" by reporter Bobby Manzi, is more likely to be available week-in-week-out to start at the heart of the defence for Spurs in the Premier League, making him a very reliable option to have.
As you can see in the table above, Guehi and Romero produced similar statistics in a host of defensive metrics in the Premier League last season, which suggests that there may not be a big difference in quality between them.
This is yet another reason why the England international would be a dream signing to step in for the Argentine star next season, and potentially as his long-term replacement as a regular starter.
Guehi, who was described as the "ultimate" centre-back by Jamie Redknapp last season, appears to make a lot of sense for Spurs as a signing to make an immediate impact, as well as being a signing for the future, which is why the club should push to get a deal over the line.